Teofimo Lopez Toughest Test Yet, Nakatani Valiant In Losing Effort
BY Scottie “The Context” White (WCS)
Teofimo Lopez defeated Mayoshi Nakatani in a rough, tough, boxing throw-down from both fighters, Lopez was tested from the taller Nakatani who was game from the onset and settled in quickly with connecting solid shots on Lopez.
It was a fire fight that Lopez is never shy to engage as he competes in his squared domain but last night his boxing adaptation called upon his ring IQ to make adjustments throughout the fight. Nakatani brought the fight to Lopez and sustained his power shots fairly well. The lightweight soldiers battled their fiery close quarter exchanges, testing the beard of the other until the final bell. This was a title eliminator for the winner to potentially face IBF champion Richard Commey, so the eagerness for a Lopez to finally challenge for a world title is an active fruition now.
Be clear, there hasn’t and never will be a boxing template to one of the longstanding combat sports in our global history, so the casual fans who complain about the performances of fighters who are expected to give them a nicely wrapped knock out- signed “Easy Work”, really need to fall back on their entitlement to study the sport a bit more and digest that offense/defense is full of strategic delegation in earning the ultimate goal of victory .
If each opponent was a soft touch in collecting easy victories, then the chatter will be he hasn’t fought anyone. If a contender elevates the competition in a “BOXING” display, a tougher more challenging showcase, then expect open corridors to their vaulted arsenal to introduce different weapons to their cache. Sweet Science right? The echo post fight from the viewing audience volume criticism that Lopez may have lost the fight or gifted a decision to keep a halo toward a lucrative title forecast moving forward.
ESPN analysis Timothy Bradley had this to say ” Lopez is not ready for a title shot after he “got exposed.” Ward says Lopez does deserve a title fight but he has a lot of training to do before it.” Well do you agree or should we lean on the side of intuitive bias based off a single performance that presented a challenger for the lightweight star Lopez?
Salute to both fighters, especially Lopez who now graduates to a future date with lightweight compeer Commey for the IBF championship and the winner to potentially faced unified champion Vasyl Lomachenko. Marching like any challenger, its up to Lopez and his father to train their areas of improvement, continue to grow as a fighter and sustain better focus in a fight which may force you outside your boxing comfort zone of expertise, a deeper dogmatic reservoir to your vengeful occupation.
Turn Up and Tune In to “World Combat Sports.”